1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a self-contained apparatus and more particularly, to a non-contact sensor switch assembly for use in a self-contained apparatus, automatic water tap or automatic door, which automatically switches on (wakes up) the control unit of the self-contained apparatus, automatic water tap or automatic door upon approaching of a body part of a person, or switches off the control unit when the body part of the person is moved out of its effective sensing range.
2. Description of the Related Art
H1N1 new-type influenza, enteroviruses and many other virus variants cause increased infections. In the season when epidemics happen frequently, it is difficult to prohibit spread of infections. The best way to prohibit spread of infections is to wear a mouth mask in public places, to wash the hands frequently, and to avoid using public utilities. To avoid contamination, may public places provide self-contained apparatuses, such as automatic handwash dispenser, automatic sterilizing fluid dispenser, automatic induction water tap and etc. to serve people.
A conventional automatic handwash dispenser 6 or automatic water tap 8 generally use an infrared transmitter/receiver unit 7 for automatic operation control (see FIGS. 8˜11). The infrared transmitter/receiver unit 7 consists of an infrared transmitter 71 and an infrared receiver 72 for sensing the approaching of the hands of a user, and electrically coupled to a microprocessor 73 that controls the motor (or relay) 61 of the automatic handwash dispenser 6 or automatic water tap 8 to dispense an anti-bacterial handwash or to discharge water subject to the sensing control of the infrared transmitter/receiver unit 7. When the user moves the hands out of the sensing range of the infrared transmitter/receiver unit 7, the microprocessor 73 switches off the motor (or relay) 61 of the automatic handwash dispenser 6 or automatic water tap 8, stopping the supply of the anti-bacterial handwash or water.
The aforesaid prior art design has drawbacks as follows:    1. The infrared transmitter/receiver unit 7 is constantly at the transmitting and receiving status for sensing the approaching of a body part of a person when electrically connected, wasting much power supply and being easy to fail.    2. The infrared transmitter/receiver unit 7 has a narrow sensing range. A user may be not put the hands accurately in the sensing range of the infrared transmitter/receiver unit 7, causing the automatic handwash dispenser 6 or automatic water tap 8 unable to dispense the anti-bacterial handwash or to discharge water accurately.    3. The light of the sun may interfere with the functioning of the infrared transmitter/receiver unit 7, and therefore the application of the automatic handwash dispenser 6 or automatic water tap 8 is limited.